Apparatus for continuously relaxing textile material in a treating liquid

ABSTRACT

The relaxing apparatus of the present invention comprises a treating bath having a plurality of hurdle projections mounted on the inside surface of the treating bath and a cylindrical rotor facing the inside surface of the treating bath, the rotor is reciprocally rotatable at a predetermined angle, preferably 20* to 45* and has a plurality of paddle projections mounted on the peripheral surface of the rotor. The paddle projections are effective for paddling a treating liquid in the treating bath so as to exert a crumpling action to the material charged in the treating bath. The hurdle projections are effective for enforcing the crumpling action presenting an obstacle to movements of the material and treating liquid. The material can be continuously and sufficiently relaxed the treating liquid by the crumpling action.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Masahiro Arashi Komatsu-shi, Japan[21] Appl. No. 5,336 [22] Filed Jan. 23, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 7, 1971[73] Assignee Komatsu Seiren Co., Ltd.

Ishikawa-ken, Japan [54] APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY RELAXING TEXTILEMATERIAL IN A TREATING LIQUID 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 68/158, 26/19, 68/177 [51] Int. Cl. 1305c 3/136 [50] Fieldof Search 68/177, 180, 158; 26/18.5, 19.21

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7,579 8/1850 Miller 26/19Primary ExaminerWilliam l. Price ABSTRACT: The relaxing apparatus of thepresent invention comprises a treating bath having a plurality of hurdleprojections mounted on the inside surface of the treating bath and acylindrical rotor facing the inside surface of the treating bath. therotor is reciprocally rotatable at a predetermined angle, preferably 20to 45 and has a plurality of paddle projections mounted on theperipheral surface ofthe rotor.

The paddle projections are effective for paddling a treating liquid inthe treating bath so as to exert a crumpling action to the materialcharged in the treating bath. The hurdle projections are effective forenforcing the crumpling action presenting an obstacle to movements ofthe material and treating liquid. The material can be continuously andsufficiently relaxed the treating liquid by the crumpling action. I

PATENTEU mac 7 |17| SHEET 1 OF 2 PATENTEDUEC mm 3626Q449 sum 2 or 2ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY RELAXING TEXTILE MATERIAL IN ATREATING LIQUID The present invention relates to an apparatus forcontinuously relaxing a textile material in a treating liquid, moreparticularly relates to an apparatus for continuously relaxing a textilematerial by exerting a mechanical crumpling action on the material in atreating liquid in order to eliminate residual inner stress of thematerial and/or sufficiently shrink the material, whereby a finalproduct having a high-dimensional stability or a creped product isobtained.

It is well-known that when a textile material is subjected to somestretching operations in spinning, twisting, knitting, weaving, scouringor dyeing process, the stretching causes the remaining of inner stressin the material. The remaining stress is so-called residual innerstress.

The residual inner stress causes a dimensional change or deformation ofthe material during laundering of the material and further, results inunevenness in bulkiness, appearance or hand feeling of the material.These tendencies more clearly appear in textured materials havinghigh-extensibility.

A process for eliminating the residual inner stress from the textilematerial is a so-called relaxation in general. Also, a process forpreparing a crepe product from a fabric made of hard twist yarns orhighly shrinkable yarns is a so-called relaxation.

Generally, the relaxation for increasing the dimensional stability oftextile materials, particularly filamentary fabrics, and/or for crepingtextile fabrics, is carried out by using a rotary-washer-type relaxer orstar-frames in a treating bath, or by method of a book-fold form systemor loopor reeled-form system. These conventional processes create a goodrelaxing effect, respectively. However, these conventional processes areinefficient due to their noncontinuity. Particularly, the relaxationprocess of the rotary-washer-type relaxer has a defect such as easyformation of crease-marks on the material. In order to obviate theabove-mentioned disadvantages of the conventional relaxation, variousimprovements, for example, a process for continuously relaxing thematerial in an open form, are provided.

Apparatuses for continuously relaxing the material are required tosatisfy the following requirements:

l. the material is extended in as low a stress as possible duringprocessing,

2. the material is uniformly heated and maintained at a desired constanttemperature,

3. the material is subjected to a suitable mechanical crumpling action,

4. the material is subjected to relaxation for a time sufficient enoughfor relaxing the material,

5. cost of the relaxation apparatus and driving cost of the apparatusare low, and

6. area required for the relaxing apparatus is small.

However, conventional relaxing apparatuses satisfying all of theabove-stated requirements cannot be found.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus forcontinuously relaxing openly formed textile material in a treatingliquid having low-equipment cost, lowoperating cost, a small operatingarea and an excellent relaxing effect.

The apparatus of the present invention comprises the following elements:

1. a treating bath vessel, for containing a treating liquid, providedwith an inside bottom having an inside semicylindrical peripheralsurface,

2. a reciprocally rotatable cylindrical rotor being disposed in thetreating bath vessel in a manner wherein a peripheral surface of thecylindrical rotor is in parallel with respect to the inside surface ofthe treating bath vessel,

3. a plurality of hurdle projections being mounted on the inside surfaceof the treating bath vessel in a manner wherein the hurdle projectionsextend along the inside surface of the treating bath vessel in parallelwith respect to a cylindrical axis ofthe semicylindrical inside bottom,and

4. a plurality of paddle projections being mounted on the peripheralsurface of the cylindrical rotor in a manner wherein the paddleprojections extend along the peripheral surface of the cylindrical rotorin parallel with respect to a cylindrical axis of the cylindrical rotor.

Further features and advantages of the apparatus of the presentinvention will be seen in detail from the following description,referring to the accompanying drawings, in which,

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective side view of an embodiment of theapparatus of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing embodiments of a cylindricalrotor and paddle projections in the apparatus of the present invention.1

Referring to FIG. 1, a treating bath vessel 1 usable for containing atreating liquid is provided with a bottom 2 having an insidesemicylindrical peripheral surface. Nine hurdle projections 3 aremounted on the inside surface of the treating bath vessel 1. The hurdleprojections 3 have a substantially triangular cross-sectional profileand extend along the inside surface of the treating bath vessel 1 inparallel with respect to a cylindrical axis of the semicylindricalinside surface of the treating bath vessel 1.

A cylindrical rotor 4 is disposed at a substantially center portion ofthe treating bath in a manner wherein a peripheral surface of thecylindrical rotor 4 is in parallel with respect to the inside surface ofthe treating bath vessel 1. Nine paddle projection 5 are mounted on theperipheral surface of the cylindrical rotor 4 in parallel with respectto a cylindric axis 6 of the cylindrical rotor 4. The paddle projections5 are disposed so as to face the inside surface of the treating bathvessel 1, but not disposed at the top portion of the cylindrical rotor 4which faces the upper opening of the treating bath vessel I. The paddleprojections 5 have a substantially triangular cross-sectional profile.

The cylindrical rotor 4 is reciprocally rotatable around the cylindricalaxis 6 in a direction shown by arrows 7 and 8 by a predeterminedrotation angle.

FIG. I shows means for rotating the cylindrical rotor 4, but therotating means is not limited to the means of FIG. I. In FIG. 1, tworeciprocally rotating plates 9 are fixed on both side surfaces of thecylindrical rotor 4, and the top end 10 of the rotating plate 9 isconnected to a motor 12 through a reciprocally moving arm 13, a flywheel120, a speed changing means 12:: and a speed reducing means 12b. The arm13 can be reciprocally moved in directions shown by arrows I4 and 15with rotation of the flywheel 12a by way of the motor 12c. The movementof the arm 13 can rotate the rotating plates 9 reciprocally. In thiscase, the rotation angle of the rotating plate 9, which may be adjustedby the dimensions of the diameter of the flywheel 12a, is in a rangefrom 20 to 45, preferably from 30 to 40. The rotation of the rotatingplate 9, which may be adjusted by speed of the rotor 120, speed changingratio of the speed changing means 12c and reducing ratio of the speedreducing means 12b, is 50 to I50 times/minute, preferably to I20times/minute.

The hurdle projections 3, illustrated in FIG. I, have a substantiallyisosceles triangular cross-sectional profile, and project atsubstantially right angles on the inside surface of the treating bathvessel. A top portion of the hurdle projections 3 is rounded off.

Referring to FIG. 2, a paddle surface 50 of the paddle pro jections 5,that is, a front surface with respect to a direction indicated by anarrow 17 along which the material to be relaxed is advanced, issubstantially parallel with respect to a plane I6 on which thecylindrical axis 6 of the cylindrical rotor 4 and a top end So of thepaddle projections 5 are lain and a back surface 5b of the paddleprojections 5 meet the paddle surfaceSa at an acute angle or, preferably20 to 45. The top portion of the paddle projections 5 is rounded off.

Height of the paddle and hurdle projections may be adjusted as desiredaccording to purpose of relaxing, kind of material to be relaxedandspeed of relaxing. In general, these heights are in a range fromone-fifth to one-half radius of the cylindrical rotor 4.

Distance between the peripheral surface of the cylindrical rotor 4 andthe semicylindrical inside surface of the treating bath may be adjustedas desired according to purpose of relaxing, kind of material to berelaxed and speed of relaxing. Usually, the distance is in a range fromtwo-thirds to 1% radius of the cylindrical rotor 4.

Number of the hurdle and paddle projections may be determined as desiredaccording to purpose of relaxing, kind of material to be treated andspeed of relaxing. Generally, the number is in a range from 5 to 12,preferably 8 to 10, and may be the same as each other or different fromeach other.

Referring to FIG. 1, a wetting means 24 consisting of a bath 22 and aroll 23 is disposed at an entrance side of the treating bath vessel 1,and a feeding means consisting of a feeding roll 25 and a pressing roll26 and a delivering means consisting of delivering rolls 28 and 29 aredisposed above the treating bath vessel 1.

Further, means for supplying water, steam and treating liquid fromrespective sources may be connected to the wetting bath vessel 22 andthe treating bath 1.

The relaxation operation for the textile material and its effect byusing the apparatus of the present invention will be described in detailreferring to FIG. 1, hereinafter.

When the feeding roll 25 is driven, the material 21 is fed into thewetting means 24 containing a treating liquid at an open widthcondition, wetted with the treating liquid, and then charged into thetreating bath vessel 1 through the feeding roll 25 and the pressing roll26. The treating bath vessel 1 contains a treating liquid 31 adjusted toa desired temperature. The charged material 21 is accumulated under atensionless condition in a treating space 32 formed between the insidesurface of the treating bath vessel 1 and the peripheral surface of thecylindrical rotor 4.

Next, the cylindrical rotor is driven into a reciprocal rotation in bothdirections illustrated by the arrows 7 and 8 at a preadjusted rotationangle, preferably 20 to 45. When the cylindrical rotor 4 is rotated inthe direction of the arrow 7, the paddle surfaces 5a of the paddleprojections 5 paddle the treating liquid so that the paddle treatingliquid exerts a vigorous crumpling action to the accumulated material21, whereby the accumulated material 21 is moved in the direction of thearrow 7. Next, the cylindrical rotor 4 is rotated in the direction ofthe arrow 8, the back surfaces 5b of the paddle projections 5 slightlypaddle the treating liquid so as to exert a weak action to the material21. in such paddling, since the back surfaces 5b are inclined so as tomeet the direction of the arrow 8 at an acute angle, the paddling effectof the back surfaces 5b is by far, less than that of the paddle surfaces5a. Therefore, the material 21 is not moved in the direction of arrow 8.

The hurdle projections 3 stand in the way of the material 21 and thetreating liquid.3l so as to obstruct the movement of the material 21 andthe treating liquid 31. That is, the accumulated material 21 receives avigorously exerted crumpling action by the paddle projections 5 under acondition wherein the smooth movements of the material 21 and treatingliquid 31 are obstructed by the hurdle projections 3. Therefore, thecrumpling effect of the paddle projections 5 is further increased by thehurdle projections 3.

By the above-stated manner, the accumulated material 21 can beintermittently moved in the direction of the arrow 7 in the treatingspace 32. When an end of the material 21 reaches the exit portion of thetreating space 32, the end of the material 21 is drawn up by thedelivery rolls 28 and 29 in order to withdraw the material 21 from thetreating bath vessel 1.

Velocities of the feeding roll 25 and the delivering roll 28 must beadjusted so as to retain the material in the treating bath vessel 1 fora desired period.

As is clear in the above-stated description, the textile material can besufficiently and continuously relaxed by using the apparatus of thepresent invention under an open width condition.

What IS claimed is:

1. An apparatus for continuously relaxing textile material in a treatingliquid comprising:

1. a treating bath vessel provided with an inside bottom having aninside semicylindrical peripheral surface with a horizontal axis, closedends and a top with an opening,

2. a reciprocally rotatable cylindrical rotor disposed in said treatingbath vessel with its axis horizontal and a peripheral surface inparallel with respect to said inside surface of said treating bathvessel,

3. a plurality of hurdle projections disposed on said inside surface ofsaid treating bath vessel, said hurdle projections extending axiallyalong said inside surface of said treating bath vessel with respect tothe cylindrical axis of said semicylindrical inside bottom,

4. a plurality of paddle projections disposed on said peripheral surfaceof said rotor, said paddle projections extending axially along saidperipheral surface of said cylindrical rotor with respect to thecylindrical axis of said cylindrical rotor 5. means for continuouslyoscillating said rotor about its axis, and

6. means for continuously feeding hard textile material into saidtreating bath vessel through said opening at one side of said rotor andwithdrawing it from said treating bath vessel at the other side of saidrotor.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hurdle projectionshave a substantially triangular cross-sectional profile.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said paddle projectionshave a substantially triangular cross-sectional profile.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a paddle surface of saidpaddle projections is substantially parallel with respect to a plane,passing through the axis line of said cylindrical rotor and the top endof said paddle projections.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said paddle projectionshave a height in a range from one-fifth to one-half of the radius ofsaid cylindrical rotor.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hurdle projectionshave a height in a range from one-fifth to one-half of the radius ofsaid cylindrical rotor.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheral surfaceof said cylindrical rotor is spaced from said inside surface of saidtreating bath vessel at a distance of twothirds to 1% of the radius ofsaid cylindrical rotor.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reciprocal rotationangle of said cylindrical rotor is in a range from 20 to 45.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reciprocal rotationangle of said cylindrical rotor is in a range from 30 to 40.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said oscillating meansoscillates said rotor in the range from 50 to times a minute.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hurdle projectionshave a substantially triangular cross-sectional profile.
 2. areciprocally rotatable cylindrical rotor disposed in said treating bathvessel with its axis horizontal and a peripheral surface in parallelwith respect to said inside surface of said treating bath vessel,
 3. aplurality of hurdle projections disposed on said inside surface of saidtreating bath vessel, said hurdle projections extending axially alongsaid inside surface of said treating bath vessel with respect to thecylindrical axis of said semicylindrical inside bottom,
 3. An apparatusas claimed in claim 1, wherein said paddle projections have asubstantially triangular cross-sectional profile.
 4. An apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein a paddle surface of said paddle projectionsis substantially parallel with respect to a plane, passing through theaxis line of said cylindrical rotor and the top end of said paddleprojections.
 4. a plurality of paddle projections disposed on saidperipheral surface of said rotor, said paddle projections extendingaxially along said peripheral surface of said cylindrical rotor withrespect to the cylindrical axis of said cylindrical rotor
 5. means forcontinuously oscillating said rotor about its axis, and
 5. An apparatusas claimed in claim 1, wherein said paddle projections have a height ina range from one-fifth to one-half of the radius of said cylindricalrotor.
 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hurdleprojections hAve a height in a range from one-fifth to one-half of theradius of said cylindrical rotor.
 6. means for continuously feeding hardtextile material into said treating bath vessel through said opening atone side of said rotor and withdrawing it from said treating bath vesselat the other side of said rotor.
 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1,wherein said peripheral surface of said cylindrical rotor is spaced fromsaid inside surface of said treating bath vessel at a distance oftwo-thirds to 1 1/2 of the radius of said cylindrical rotor.
 8. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reciprocal rotation angleof said cylindrical rotor is in a range from 20* to 45*.
 9. An apparatusas claimed in claim 1, wherein said reciprocal rotation angle of saidcylindrical rotor is in a range from 30* to 40*.
 10. An apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said oscillating means oscillates said rotorin the range from 50 to 150 times a minute.